Reproduction apparatus

ABSTRACT

The apparatus is particularly adapted to reproduce, on relatively large and stiff illustration board, the lines of a drawing or the like which is to be illustrated by an artist to produce a so-called &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;wash&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; drawing or an airbrush or pencil or ink rendering. One side of the board is coated with a layer of heat and/or light-sensitive material, without bending the board, by passage through a pair of rollers, the lower of which is immersed in a coating solution and the upper of which is springpressed downwardly. The coating device is installed in an auxiliary housing atop a main housing, in the latter of which is a chamber containing heat lamps and an additional chamber to which a developer gas, such as ammonia, is supplied. A blower removed ammonia vapors from the developing chamber. The board is placed on a pad in a tray mounted on slides and provided with a glass cover, for moving the board into the heat chamber. Controls are placed on the auxiliary housing.

United States Patent lra L. Watson 1330 North Franklin St., Colorado Springs, Colo. 80903;

Dennis Martinez, 6040 East 74th PL, Commerce City, Colo. 80022 [72] lnventors [21] Appl. No. 844,522 [22] Filed July 24, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 14, 1971 [54] REPRODUCTION APPARATUS tt'lulms. 7 Ilrnwlng Flux.

Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assismm Exuminer Daniel J. Clement Almnwy-Van Valkenburgh and Lowe ABSTRACT: The apparatus is particularly adapted to reproduce, on relatively large and stiff illustration board, the lines of a drawing or the like which is to be illustrated by an artist to produce a so-called wash" drawing or an airbrush or pencil or ink rendering. One side of the board is coated with a layer of heat and/or light-sensitive material, without bending the board, by passage through a pair of rollers, the lower of which is immersed in a coating solution and the upper of which is spring-pressed downwardly. The coating device is installed in an auxiliary housing atop a main housing, in the latter of which is a chamber containing heat lamps and an additional chamber to which a developer gas, such as ammonia, is supplied. A blower removed ammonia vapors from the developing chamber. The board is placed on a pad in a tray mounted on slides and provided with a glass cover, for moving the board into the heat chamber. Controls are placed on the auxiliary housing.

REPRODUCTION APPARATUS This invention relates to illustration boards, and more particularly to an apparatus for producing on an illustration board a reproduction of the lines of a drawing or the like, which is to be illustrated by an artist, as to produce a so-called wash" drawing or an airbrush or pencil or ink rendering.

Illustration boards used for wash drawings are generally of a relatively large size, such as 30 inches to 40 inches in the maximum dimension and are also quite stiff, being ordinarily in excess of 1/32 inch in thickness, such as up to 54inch. Such boards may be calendared on one or both sides to produce a finish similar to the Bristol board used for Patent Office drawings, but are normally considerably thicker than such Bristol board. Thus, such illustration boards are not readily bent and thus cannot be passed through a blueprint machine or the like. Also, such illustration boards are much too large to be used in other types of reproduction machines, such as Xerox machines. It is the present custom, in producing a wash drawing or airbrush rendering on an illustration board, for a draftsman to copy a blueprint or the like on the illustration board, after which the artist completes the representation. Such drawing by hand is a time-consuming and extremely expensive process, but no satisfactory way of overcoming this expense is known.

Among the objects of this invention are to provide a novel reproduction apparatus, particularly adapted to handle large and relatively thick boards or the like, such as illustration boards; to provide such apparatus in which all of the operations necessary to reproduce the lines of a drawing on a blueprint or the like on an illustration board may be accomplished quickly and expeditiously; to provide such apparatus in which a uniform coating of a heat and/or light-sensitive solution is placed on the board; to provide such apparatus which will accommodate different thicknesses of boards; to provide such apparatus in which light and/or heat lamps or the like may be used to bring out the desired image in the sensitized layer placed on the board in an exposure compartment; to provide such apparatus in which the light or heat-sensitive layer may be treated to develop or fix the same; to provide such apparatus in which the fixing of the light-sensitive layer may be accomplished in a development compartment immediately adjacent to the exposure compartment; to provide such apparatus in which the application of the reagent used for such fixing is effectively controlled; to provide such apparatus in which fumes of the reagent, such as ammonia gas, may be controlled to prevent the escape thereof into the air around the machine; to provide such apparatus in which the board is maintained in flat condition at all times; and to provide such apparatus which will be efficient and efl'ective in operation.

The foregoing and additional objects of this invention, as well as the novel features thereof, will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a three-dimensional view of reproduction apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken along line22 of FIG. I, through an auxiliary housing;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section, taken along line 3--3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an end view, on a further enlarged scale, ofa pair of bearing supports for the shafts of a pair of rollers, also shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section, taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical section, taken generally centrally of FIG. 1, but showing particularly an exposure chamber and a development chamber; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken along line 7- 7 of FIG. 6, on an enlarged scale.

The reproduction apparatus of FIG. 1 includes a housing H surmounted by an auxiliary housing A, in which a board 9 of FIG. 3 is coated with a light and/0r heat sensitive layer. The term light and/or heat sensitive," as used herein, means any material, usually a solution, which is sensitive to light, is sensitive to heat or is sensitive to both, in order to effect a change, normally chemical, between those portions of the layer of material which are exposed to greater amounts of such light, heat or both, and those portions exposed to less. This material is preferably in liquid form, so that it may more readily be applied to the board 9, and one suitable liquid is the Keuffel and Esser Rub On Diazo" solution. Such a solution, when applied as a layer to an illustration board 9, may be developed by the use of ammonia gas, to produce a visible reproduction of the lines of the drawing or blueprint, through which the heat rays, light rays, or both, are passed, for exposure purposes. Of course, it will be understood that other suitable radiation sensitive solutions may be utilized.

The housing H includes a top 10, the principal portion of which is disposed rearwardly of the auxiliary housing A, but a smaller portion 10' of which is disposed forwardly thereof. Sidewalls 11, having extensions I2 and I2 respectively, to close or partially close the ends of the auxiliary housing A, together with a front wall 13 and a rear wall 14 of FIG. 6, complete the housing H. In the front wall 13 are a hinged door 15 for a development compartment D of FIG. 6 and a hinged door 16 for an exposure compartment C. Each of the doors I5 and 16 are hinged to open downwardly, as by hinges 17 of FIG. 6, and may be opened and closed by a handle 18. A front wall 19 of a storage drawer, also provided with a handle I8, occupies a lower portion of the front wall 13 of the housing H. Auxiliary housing A is provided with a movable portion M having a front slot 20, through which the board 9 is introduced for coating with a radiation sensitive material, as in FIG. 3. Slot 20 is formed between a pair of flanges 21 and 22 through which the board 9 is guided into engagement with a solution applying roller 23, the board being pressed against roller 23 by a pressure roller 24 which is preferably maintained in at least a slightly spaced relation to roller 23, so that no solution will contact pressure roller 24, prior to or after the board passes between the rollers. Rollers 23 and 24 are preferably rubber covered. Solution roller 23 is rotated, as in a manner hereinafter described, to pick up a solution 25 contained in a receptacle 26 or other suitable open top container therefor within auxiliary housing A, the level of solution within the tray being preferably maintained at not over half the diameter of roller 23 or below the same to the lower edge of the roller. Upon passage through the rollers, the board 9 exits from the auxiliary housing A through a rear slot 27 between guide flanges 28 and 29, rear slot 27 being in direct alignment with front slot 20 and the upper edge of solution roller 23, so that the board 9 will not be curved or bent during passage through the rollers. As the board is discharged through rear slot 27, it is preferably caught by the operator, to prevent dropping on top 10, since the underside of the board 9 is coated with the radiation sensitive solution, then turned over and placed in a tray T of FIG. 6 for exposure, as by radiation, i.e. heat and/or light produced by a series of lamps 30 in exposure chamber C. The preferred construction of tray T and exposure chamber C is described below. After exposure, the board 9 is removed from the exposure chamber and transferred to the development chamber D and the image then developed, as in the manner also described below.

The auxiliary housing A includes a forwardly and downwardly inclined, fixed front wall 32 having an upward extension 33 at one side, on which are mounted a switch 34 for starting rotation of solution roller 23, a switch 35 and a timer 36 for starting and controlling the period of lamps 30, an onoff switch 37 for the machine and a switch 38 for starting a blower 39 to remove ammonia vapors or the like from development chamber D. Electricity may be supplied by a cord 40, while a gage 41 indicates the pressure in the development chamber.

The movable portion M of the auxiliary housing, as in FIGS. 1-3, includes a front wall 44 from which flanges 21 and 22 extend rearwardly, these flanges also extending between ends 45 of movable portion M. The latter also includes a top 46 and a rear wall 47, to the lower edge of which guide flange 28 is secured. Guide flange 29 is primarily supported by the ends 45, between which guide flange 28 also extends. The fixed portion of auxiliary housing A further includes a top 48 and a rear wall 49 which is downwardly offset behind movable portion M, to the upper edge of which movable portion M is pivotally attached, as by one or more hinges 50. The bottom of auxiliary housing A is most conveniently formed by top of housing H. As will be evident, with the board 9 absent, the movable portion M of auxiliary housing A may be moved upwardly about hinge 50, with flanges 21 and 22 and pressure roller 24 moving therewith, for access to receptacle 26, particularly for replacement of solution 25.

As in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the solution roller 23 may be mounted on a shaft 52, joumaled at its opposite ends in bearings 53, respectively attached to the inside of sidewall extension 12' and an upstanding flange 54, through which the corresponding end of shaft 52 extends, for connection to a gear 55, as by a capscrew engaging a tapped hole 56 in the end of the shaft. Gear 55 is driven by a pinion 57, in turn driven by a motor and speed reducer combination 58. The drive for roller 23 is preferably constructed so that the peripheral speed of roller 23 is relatively slow, as on the order of 75 to 150 inches per minute, although other speeds may be utilized, when appropriate.

Pressure roller 24 is mounted on a shaft 60, each end of which is mounted in a movable bearing 61 which is slidable upwardly and downwardly within an aperture 62 in a block 63, with each block 63 being mounted on the inside of an end 45. Each bearing 61 is urged downwardly by a spring 64, so that the pressure roller will always exert pressure on the board as it passes through the auxiliary housing, but will accommodate a range of thickness for the board and cannot contact solution applying roller 23. The lower edge of each aperture 62 provides a stop limiting downward movement of the corresponding bearing 61. Thus, the normal spacing between rollers 23 and 24 is preferably a minimum of slightly less than the minimum thickness of board to he treated.

The top of exposure compartment C, as in FIG. 6, is formed by a horizontal partition 66, which forms the floor of the development compartment D, and the bottom by another horizontal partition 67, which also forms the top of the space in which the storage drawer is installed. The top of the exposure compartment C is provided with a series of sockets 68 for lamps 30, while the opening 69 in which door 16 is mounted preferably is lesser in height than the compartment, so that the depending portion of front wall 13 will tend to provide protection for lamps 30.

Tray T is generally rectangular, of a size to accommodate the largest board 9 to be used with the machine, having a bottom 71 and upstanding sides 72, with a resilient pad 73, as of foam rubber, placed therein, to support the board 9. A transparent cover 74, as of glass, is mounted in a frame 75 pivoted at the upper rear edge of the tray, as by a hinge 76, so that cover 74 may merely be lifted at the front to place board 9 in or remove it from the tray. When cover 74 is closed, a slight clearance is provided between the bottom of cover 74 and the sensitive coating on board 9, while the blueprint or other paper or the like, hearing the lines to be copied, is placed on top of the glass cover 74. The tray T is conveniently slidably mounted, so as to be easily moved into or out of compartment C, such a slide mounting being conventional in nature and including a channel 77 attached to each side of the tray and having curved upper and lower flanges, each in rolling engagement with a series of balls 78. A rail 79 is movable within channel 77 and is provided with upper and lower, dual concave tracks 80, one side of each of which is in engagement with balls 78 and the opposite sides of which are spaced from the curved flanges of an inner rail 81, with balls 82 between. lnner rail 81 is attached to each side of compartment C, as in FIG. 6. As will be evident, when tray T is pulled out, rail 79 will follow but conventional stops (not shown) will prevent channel 77 from moving more than halfway along rail 79 and rail 79 from moving more than halfway along inner rail 81. Thus, the tray T may be easily pulled out from the chamber and supported in extended position, but may be returned readily. After tray T is moved back into the exposure compartment C, the door 16 may be closed and the lamps 30 energized by closing switch 35. The lamps are turned on for a suitable time period, controlled by timer 36, as indicated previously. A time period suitable for illustration board coated with the Run On" diazo solution is 3 seconds to 10 seconds, depending upon the size of the board, although other time periods may be found to be preferable for other radiation sensitive solutions.

Following exposure in exposure chamber C, the door 16 thereof is opened, the tray T pulled out, the transparent cover 74 lifted up and the board 9 then placed in the development chamber D, the door 15 of which is preferably provided with sealing strips or the like to provide a relatively airtight enclosure and thereby prevent the leakage of ammonia fumes or the like. After the door 15 is closed, the coating on the board is then treated with ammonia for development, when the Rub On diazo or a similar solution has been used. Ammonia may be supplied through an ammonia supply line 85 of FIG. I leading from a supply tank or the like, the pressure of ammonia in the development chamber D being controlled by a regulator 86 mounted on one sidewall 11 of housing H and connecting with the chamber. After a suitable time period, such as l0 to 20 seconds, the ammonia is turned off, then a motor 87 directly connected to blower 39, which is mounted on the rear wall 14 of housing H and connects with the development chamber through a hole 88 of FIG. 6, is turned on by switch 38. The ammonia from chamber D is exhausted through a pipe or hose 89 which is connected to a suitable vent. After the ammonia is exhausted from the development chamber D, the door 15 thereof is opened and the board 9 removed, with the lines of the original drawing or blueprint reproduced thereon. The artist can then proceed to make the airbrush rendering, wash drawing or the like.

As will be evident, the apparatus of this invention fulfills to a marked degree the requirements and objects hereinbefore set forth. The total time required, i.e. to coat the illustration board by the rollers 23 and 24, place the board in the exposure chamber C and expose it, then in the development chamber D and develop the layer, is a matter of a few minutes only, contrasted with the considerably greater amount of time, such as up to several hours, required for a draftsman to reproduce a drawing or blueprint on an illustration board. The solution applying roller 23 and the pressure roller 24, together with the slots 20 and 27 aligned therewith, permits the illustration board to be effectively coated with a radiation sensitive solution, without the necessity of bending or curving of the board. Also, boards of a comparatively large size can be handled without difficulty. The pressure roller 24, which is always spaced from the solution roller 23 but which will accommodate boards of varying thickness without any adjustment of any part of the apparatus, further contributes to the saving of time. The access doors 15 and 16 of the development and exposure compartments, respectively, and the slide mounted tray T, permit the board to be placed in the exposure compartment and transferred to the development compartment without undue delay. Also, the removal of the fumes of the development gas permits the apparatus to be placed in any desired location. The controls are all located in a readily accessible position, thus permitting the desired illustration board to be prepared readily for an artist to produce a wash drawing thereon with a considerable saving of time and therefore expense.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that other embodiments may exist and that various changes may be made therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for reproducing, on a board and the like,

the lines ofa blueprint and the like, the combination of:

means for progressively coating one side of said board with a layer of radiation sensitive material;

chamber means containing radiation means for exposing said layer to radiation directed through said blueprint and the like;

chamber means for developing said layer through a developing gas to reproduce said lines;

each of said chamber means being adjacent to said coating means;

means for controlling said coating means and said radiation means, said controlling means being disposed adjacent said coating means and said chamber means; and

blower means for removing fumes of said developing gas from said developing chamber.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said coating means includes: i

a rotatable solution roller for coating the underside of said board with a radiation sensitive solution;

a receptacle below saidsolution roller containing said solution, said solution roller being partially immersed in said solution;

a pressure roller above said solution roller for engaging the upper side of said board;

means for urging said pressure roller toward said solution roller; and 7 means for restraining movement of said pressure roller toward said solution roller beyond a predetermined spacmg.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein:

said solution roller is provided with a shaft mounted in bearings mounted on fixed supports, said shaft being connected to drive means forrotating said solution roller; and

said pressure roller is provided with a shaft mounted in bearings movable upwardly and downwardly, said bearing being spring-urged toward a stop limiting downward movement of said pressure roller.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3, including:

a housing having a fixed portion and a movable portion, said fixed portion containing said receptacle, said solution roller and its bearings and said drive means;

said movable portion being hinged at the rear to said fixed portion and provided with an entrance slot and guide flanges for said board, above and below said slot and extending toward said rollers, and an exit slot and guide flanges above and below said exit slot, said entrance and exit slots being aligned with the space between said rollers; and

said movable portion having ends, each of which supports a block having an aperture in which the corresponding bearing for said pressure roller is movable upwardly and downwardly.

5. An apparatus for reproducing, on a board and the like,

the lines of a blueprint and the like, said board being susceptible to damage by bending, the combination of:

means for progressively coating one side of said board with a layer of radiation-sensitive material, while maintaining said board sufficiently straight to avoid damage by bend mg;

chamber means containing radiation means for exposing said layer to radiation directed through said blueprint and the like;

chamber means for developing said layer to reproduce said lines;

each of said chamber means receiving said board to maintain said board sufficiently straight to avoid damage by bending and being adjacent to said coating means;

means for controlling said coating means and said radiation means, said controlling means being disposed adjacent said coating means and said chamber means;

a tray movable into and out of said exposure chamber and having means for supporting said board in horizontal position, and a flat, transparent cover for supporting said blueprint and the like above said board; and

said radiation-producing means of said exposure chamber being in the upper portion thereof and above said tray when placed in said chamber.

6. An apparatus for reproducing, on a board and the like,

the lines of a blueprint and the like, the combination of:

means for progressively coating one side of said board with a layer of radiation sensitive material;

chamber means containing radiation means for exposing said layer to radiation directed through said blueprint and the like;

chamber means for developing said layer to reproduce said lines;

means for controlling said coating means and said radiation means, said controlling means being disposed adjacent said coating means and said chamber means;

a housing containing said exposure chamber means and said development chamber means disposed one above the other in said housing and doors in the front of said housing providing access to the respective chambers; and

an auxiliary housing mounted atop said first-mentioned housing and containing said coating means, said auxiliary housing having a movable portion providing access to said radiation-sensitive material contained in a receptacle in said auxiliary housing. 

1. An apparatus for reproducing, on a board and the like, the lines of a blueprint and the like, the combination of: means for progressively coating one side of said board with a layer of radiation sensitive material; chamber means containing radiation means for exposing said layer to radiation directed through said blueprint and the like; chamber means for developing said layer through a developing gas to reproduce said lines; each of said chamber means being adjacent to said coating means; means for controlling said coating means and said radiation means, said controlling means being disposed adjacent said coating means and said chamber means; and blower means for removing fumes of said developing gas from said developing chamber.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said coating means includes: a rotatable solution roller for coating the underside of said board with a radiation sensitive solution; a receptacle below said solution roller containing saId solution, said solution roller being partially immersed in said solution; a pressure roller above said solution roller for engaging the upper side of said board; means for urging said pressure roller toward said solution roller; and means for restraining movement of said pressure roller toward said solution roller beyond a predetermined spacing.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein: said solution roller is provided with a shaft mounted in bearings mounted on fixed supports, said shaft being connected to drive means for rotating said solution roller; and said pressure roller is provided with a shaft mounted in bearings movable upwardly and downwardly, said bearing being spring-urged toward a stop limiting downward movement of said pressure roller.
 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3, including: a housing having a fixed portion and a movable portion, said fixed portion containing said receptacle, said solution roller and its bearings and said drive means; said movable portion being hinged at the rear to said fixed portion and provided with an entrance slot and guide flanges for said board, above and below said slot and extending toward said rollers, and an exit slot and guide flanges above and below said exit slot, said entrance and exit slots being aligned with the space between said rollers; and said movable portion having ends, each of which supports a block having an aperture in which the corresponding bearing for said pressure roller is movable upwardly and downwardly.
 5. An apparatus for reproducing, on a board and the like, the lines of a blueprint and the like, said board being susceptible to damage by bending, the combination of: means for progressively coating one side of said board with a layer of radiation-sensitive material, while maintaining said board sufficiently straight to avoid damage by bending; chamber means containing radiation means for exposing said layer to radiation directed through said blueprint and the like; chamber means for developing said layer to reproduce said lines; each of said chamber means receiving said board to maintain said board sufficiently straight to avoid damage by bending and being adjacent to said coating means; means for controlling said coating means and said radiation means, said controlling means being disposed adjacent said coating means and said chamber means; a tray movable into and out of said exposure chamber and having means for supporting said board in horizontal position, and a flat, transparent cover for supporting said blueprint and the like above said board; and said radiation-producing means of said exposure chamber being in the upper portion thereof and above said tray when placed in said chamber.
 6. An apparatus for reproducing, on a board and the like, the lines of a blueprint and the like, the combination of: means for progressively coating one side of said board with a layer of radiation sensitive material; chamber means containing radiation means for exposing said layer to radiation directed through said blueprint and the like; chamber means for developing said layer to reproduce said lines; means for controlling said coating means and said radiation means, said controlling means being disposed adjacent said coating means and said chamber means; a housing containing said exposure chamber means and said development chamber means disposed one above the other in said housing and doors in the front of said housing providing access to the respective chambers; and an auxiliary housing mounted atop said first-mentioned housing and containing said coating means, said auxiliary housing having a movable portion providing access to said radiation-sensitive material contained in a receptacle in said auxiliary housing. 